5th Grade Friday Update
Friday, November 13, 2015
Notice the Beams!
I chose this background for this newsletter for a reason. Today in class we talked about support beams and structure. We are beginning to mount the columns for our roller coasters onto cardboard, and today I introduced the power of diagonal supports. Ask your child about it. The neat thing with Project Based Learning is that your child can learn so much more than just Social Studies. First and foremost, they have had to really get to know their explorer and transfer the facts they have learned into an object. Abstract thinking is not always easy for kids, but I have been impressed with their thoughts on what the coaster pieces represent. As far as the coasters go, they have had to look in a manual to see how to construct the pieces, have patience when the folding was difficult, have a plan for their building, and problem solve when their measurements didn't work out. Some students even noticed the assembly line was helpful. By doing this project, I have been able to reinforce a lot of other concepts as well, but most of all, the students have been super engaged and excited to learn!
Curriculum Update
Fifth Grade Friday Update–November 13, 2015
Dear Parents,
The students did a wonderful job presenting their portfolio’s yesterday. Thank you for bringing your child and taking an active part in their learning. It was a great day of sharing!
*Math –Next week we will finish Unit 2 with Lesson 2.13: Interpreting the Remainder. Students will receive a study guide on Tuesday for the Unit 2 test, which will take place next Thursday and Friday. The second day of the test is a cumulative assessment, which means they will again be tested on the Volume skills they learned in Unit 1. There’s a great website through the University of Chicago (authors of Everyday Math). Click on the “parents” tab and then on “5th grade”. It will take you lesson by lesson through the program. Great to use on those days that you are stuck when helping your child with their homework.
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/
*Science – We started our Environments Unit this week. The students planted a terrarium this week using clover, pea, corn, and radish seeds. The students are eagerly waiting for their plants to sprout.
*Words Their Way – We are working on sort 22 next week. (Some of Mrs. Bond’s students will take the Unit 21 test on Monday.)
*Social Studies – Today we went over the study guide for the BA, which will take place next Tuesday. There were kids that didn’t have it with them, as well as several absent, so I am going to attach the files to this Skyward message, as well as add it to a post in Edmodo.
The roller coasters are coming together well! Through perseverance, teamwork, and design thinking, this could be one EPIC project! A student actually stated, “Usually I wouldn’t have liked writing a report, but when I found out I could build a roller coaster to go with it, it made it more fun!” Again, thank-you so much for being such a supportive parent community, as we were able to get all of the paper we needed!
Have a great weekend!
We celebrated Veteran’s Day by watching a segment on The Freedom Center at Detroit Metro Airport, which is a lounge that allows military travelers to relax, sleep, get a bite to eat, and get out of the hustle and bustle of the airport. We wrote letters, which will be given out at The Freedom Center, to offer our thanks, support, and well wishes.
*Reading: The MP2 Goal for pages read is 600 pages. This is tracked by the Book Snapshots or Book Reports that are completed by the student each time he/she finishes a book. Please support good reading habits at home, have conversations about the books they are reading, and help them develop a love of reading!
Have a Great Weekend,
The Fifth Grade Teachers
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Looking Ahead...
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